


Sunset

by DashingFox



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Gen, Leo and odin friendship, Odin centric, Odin relfection, mentions of awakening, slow to trust leo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22829266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingFox/pseuds/DashingFox
Summary: Leo is an intimidating figure, especially when he sets his judgemental gaze on you, all harsh and cutting and scraping you down to your core. Odin has worked for Leo for a short amount of time and knows all about the rumours of how cruel he is, so when he's called to Leo's study as the sun is setting, he can only hope he isn't being summonded to his death.*Odin Zine piece done called Sunset*
Relationships: Leon | Leo & Odin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	Sunset

**Author's Note:**

> hi yall this is a piece i did for the Odin Zine that got released a little while ago. Pls lemme know what you think and thanks for reading <3

Leo, despite being younger than Odin, has a way of being incredibly intimidating with very little effort. If his prowess on the battlefield weren’t evident enough, the sharp smiles and mature eyes make one feel like shrivelling up on the spot. Odin respects Leo a hell of a lot more than someone who has only known him for a short amount of time should, so when he receives summons to Leo’s study his stomach flips.

The walk there feels like it takes years and when he knocks on the wooden door, he holds his breath.

“Come in,” is the muffled reply. Odin lets himself breathe out, steadying himself.

The setting sun fills the study with golden light, making it look even more magnificent than Odin expected. It’s a scholar’s dream office—walls lined with books, a fireplace lit and crackling and an armchair beside it. Odin’s too caught up with drinking everything in to notice Leo behind his desk and it takes Leo clearing his throat to bring back his focus.

He spins on his heels and bows quickly with a “Good evening, milord.” Leo hums his approval to straighten up. It’s then that Odin gets a good look at his lord—Leo looks tired. There are light bruises under his eyes, partially hidden by the thin glasses perched on his nose and his shoulders are a tense line. Odin wants to fix all his problems and he can’t stop himself from blurting out something stupid.

“Milord, can I give you a massage?” he asks. It takes a moment for that to hit Leo and his lord blinks before his solemn mask slips into something more human.

“That won’t be necessary Odin, thank you,” he says, but Odin can see him battling off a smirk. Leo slides the glasses off and folds them neatly, placing them inside a case on the desk. It’s then that he stands and wanders over to the fireplace. “We don’t really know each other very well, Odin, so I thought I’d spend a little bit of time getting to know you.” Leo levels him with a carefully neutral look, nothing like he was a moment ago, which has Odin freezing in place. He knows this look—Leo doesn’t trust him.

“Yes, milord,” he says. “The opportunity to prove myself has yet to arise, so please continue to send me on difficult missions!”

Leo gives him a searching look, dark eyes hunting for something that isn’t there, eventually breaking it off to look back into the fireplace. Odin exhales sharply, unaware that he’d even held it in the first place, turning towards the bookcase. He’s not surprised to see a large amount of non-fiction and spell books with heavily embellished spines.

“What kind of magic do you specialise in, Odin? I’ve seen you use a fair amount of fire, but I suspect you know more than you’ve shown,” Leo explains.

“I predominantly use fire, yes, but I do enjoy lightning and wind spells. I’ve a small amount of dark magic knowledge too that I’m studying at the moment—as it is fitting for a dark mage.” He sticks out respective fingers as he lists his magic, glancing back at Leo. A little bit of interest is peaking through his lord’s suspicion, pleasing Odin. Magic is common ground, he notes, keeping the fact at the back of his mind.

“Impressive,” Leo murmurs and drops down into the armchair. His posture looks relaxed, if not slightly dangerous, but his hand plays with the spoon next to his hot chocolate and it takes away from the aura of intimidation he’s playing at. Bless him.

Odin turns back to the books and brushes his fingers over some of the hard covers. He recognises most of the tomes, some of them more advanced than what he’s managed so far—a testament to Leo’s innate magical ability at a young age. His fingers pause over a book that is definitely not a tome and he slips it out to read the title.

Odin feels a smile spread as he flicks through the pages, delighted to see such magnificent words used through this author’s work, but soon his eyes drift back to the other books on the shelf.

“I didn’t take you for a reader,” Leo says and his eyes land on the book in Odin’s hand. Odin holds the book close to his chest in one hand and flourishes the other hand.

“Yes, milord, I’ve been an avid reader of Master Jarin’s poems since my childhood. His way with words is worlds above my own,” Odin says, grinning at Leo’s raised eyebrows.

“Master Jarin?” Leo asks and Odin’s brain stutters to a halt. Although their worlds are startlingly different, there are small moments when Odin forgets that he wasn’t born in this one. Of course Master Jarin doesn’t exist here, despite living to a ripe old age in his world. Not really his world, though, but the world they saved. Master Jarin died a much more brutal death in Odin’s actual world. He laughs nervously and waves his hand in a dismissal.

“What I mean to say is, I enjoy stories with a strong protagonist who leads a life of adventure and triumph,” he says quickly in what he hopes is not too much of an obvious flip.

Whatever interest Leo had dissipates as he rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his hot chocolate.

“Yes, well, I should have expected that from someone like you,” he says and Odin bristles at the tone.

“Milord, I have fought too many losing wars to not appreciate a victorious hero,” Odin says sharply, immediately grimacing at his defensive tone. Leo’s eyes drop to the floor and Odin feels uncomfortable guilt for the discomfort he’s caused him.

“I suppose that was a bit of a callous judgement,” Leo says after a pause. There’s an awkward silence and Odin doesn’t know how to fill it without making it worse, so he turns back to the books and chooses to let what he sees as an apology be.

If he were a little braver, he’d ask to borrow some of these. The vast amount of new poetry especially makes him feel a little lighter. Odin hadn’t thought that being in a new world would mean new literature.

He’s pleasantly surprised to see quite a few books on tactics, all lined up neatly in the top corner of the shelf. He reaches up to grab the first in the chronicles, small smile on his face as he starts on the first page. He feels Leo’s eyes on him and he looks up to see that the interest from before has returned.

“You’re interested in tactics, milord?” Odin asks, feeling warmth in his chest at the light smile that graces Leo’s lips. Leo crosses one leg over the other and everything about his demeanour changes.

“I hope to one day be in charge of our troops’ movements—once Xander realises that I’m the better of us at it.” There’s a little sting in those words, but Odin smiles at Leo’s admission.

“My father was a master tactician. He taught me as a child how to best use people’s strengths rather than just as manpower.” Odin wistfully looks down at the book in his hands, eyes not quite reading the pages. “I’ll never be the same man as him, but his lessons are something I’ll treasure forever.” A part of his brain that suspiciously sounds a lot like Selena screams at him about revealing anything of his past, but the look of fascination on Leo’s face is worth a little slip up.

“Your father sounds wise,” Leo says and Odin chuckles. “You’ve obviously got experience and your magic is slightly above average, so why are you simply a retainer?”

The question hits hard and Odin takes a moment to decide how to answer without giving anything further away.

“I made a promise,” he starts, voice soft, “and that life is behind me. I’m here to serve you, milord, and I intend to use all my expertise to keep you safe.”

Leo nods, eyes shifting past his shoulder and Odin knows that it won’t be the last time he’s asked why he’s here.

“Thank you Odin, that will be all for tonight,” Leo says and even if he’s not satisfied, Odin feels like it’s a comfortable start.


End file.
